TETFUND’s Executive Secretary, Sunday Echono, Honored with Vanguard Newspaper’s Education Icon Award 2024
Abuja, Nigeria – In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of tertiary education in Nigeria, the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Arc. Sunday Echono, has been named the *Vanguard Newspaper’s Education Icon* for the year 2024.
Since assuming office in 2022, Echono has spearheaded transformative initiatives at TETFUND, earning widespread acclaim for his visionary leadership and commitment to excellence. The prestigious award celebrates his remarkable achievements in advancing the organization’s mandate to provide supplementary support to public tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
Under Echono’s stewardship, TETFUND has recorded significant milestones in key areas, including infrastructure development, research and innovation, academic staff training, and library enhancement. Notable accomplishments include the completion of 5,525 physical infrastructure projects, 188 equipment fabrications, and the establishment of 576 Faculty/Departmental Libraries in tertiary institutions nationwide. Additionally, 13 Senate Buildings and 19 Library Buildings have been completed, with 74 projects commissioned by top government officials, including the President.
In a statement, Vanguard Newspapers highlighted Echono’s pivotal role in driving TETFUND’s success: *“Sunday Echono has brought a new wave of transformation to the organization. With his wealth of experience in the civil service, Echono has steered TETFUND towards achieving its mandate, significantly impacting Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.”*
Echono’s leadership has also seen TETFUND make groundbreaking strides in research and development. In 2022 and 2023, the organization sponsored 455 research projects worth over N10.8 billion, while establishing three additional Centres of Excellence, bringing the total to 27. Furthermore, TETFUND has sponsored 23,271 academic staff for Ph.D. programmes, including 4,598 at foreign institutions, and 15,977 for Master’s degree programmes.
One of Echono’s landmark achievements is the development of the *Tertiary Education Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) Platform*, a digital innovation designed to enhance the performance of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. His interventions in the health sector, including the provision of modern laboratory equipment for Urology, Endourology, and Cancer Centres in six University Teaching Hospitals, are expected to reduce medical tourism and curb capital flight.
A highly decorated public servant, Echono holds numerous local, national, and international awards, including Nigeria’s national honour of *Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON)*. The Vanguard award ceremony, where he will be formally decorated, will be announced at a later date.
As TETFUND continues to play a critical role in shaping Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape, Echono’s visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to excellence position the organization for even greater achievements in the years to come.
